Inside the exquisitely crafted pleasure boat, Wen Rugo was elegantly attired, not displaying the immodesty and flirtatiousness common among women in establishments like the Qin Lou Chu Guan.
Lu Qingwan let out a sigh of relief. Honestly, she had been reluctant to see Wen Rugo in such a state.
However, Wen Rugo seemed to have perceived her thoughts. She adjusted her sleeves and said with a calm smile, "Don't you think I look nothing like a courtesan? Some people enjoy this pretense, feeling superior for having toyed with daughters of noble families, when in reality, they are nothing inside."
Lu Qingwan walked over slowly and sat opposite Wen Rugo. "I apologize. It was my and the Prince's involvement that implicated you, and yet we've only just found you now."
At this moment, Lu Qingwan would have understood and accepted if Wen Rugo had thrown a tantrum or cursed at her.
But Wen Rugo was as calm as if nothing had happened. "What are you talking about? Having received the favor of a three-dynasty elder, one naturally has to pay a price. If it weren't for you and the Prince, someone else would have caused trouble. Besides, if it weren't for that wretch Wen Ruyu causing trouble, you wouldn't have implicated me. I'm rather surprised that the first person to discover I was being impersonated was you, and not only that, but you are also going to such lengths to save me. Aren't you afraid I'll fight you for the Prince again when I return?"
"A person who can be easily snatched away is not worth having," Lu Qingwan replied casually, then got straight to the point. "What did you mean just now when you said that without Wen Ruyu's malice, you wouldn't have been implicated by my and the Prince's actions? Was it Wen Ruyu who caused your predicament?"
Wen Ruyu was the daughter of Wen Qi, Wen Rugo's paternal uncle. To be precise, she was Wen Rugo's cousin.
Wen Rugo knew what Lu Qingwan was wondering about and complained without hesitation. "Grandfather has served in the court for nearly sixty years and has never abused his power for personal gain. Last time, when Madame Huang acted foolishly and implicated my uncle, leading to his impeachment and divorce from Madame Huang. That fool Wen Ruyu didn't blame Madame Huang's insatiable greed for implicating the family; instead, she blamed Grandfather for holding high office but not helping her mother. She truly inherited Madame Huang's knack for deception. She was so good at pretending that after living with her day and night for a year, I never realized she hated me so much. As a result, when someone wanted to kidnap me to threaten my grandparents, she actively sought them out and conspired with them to set a trap for me. She even taught that impostor every single move to imitate me..."
As she spoke with growing anger, she suddenly clenched her hand, crushing the wine goblet on the table. The shards of porcelain dug into her palm, drawing blood, yet she seemed unfazed by the pain.
Lu Qingwan belatedly realized that the uniquely disguised woman before her was not the renowned courtesan Ye Ge of the capital, but Wen Rugo, the legitimate eldest daughter of the prestigious Wen family. She was the Princess Rugo who had dared to whip her upon their first meeting.
Reaching across the table, Lu Qingwan grabbed Wen Rugo's hand and gently pried her fingers open, picking out the porcelain shards from her palm one by one. Then, she reached behind her and called out, "Medicine box." Thanks to Lu Qingwan's status as a physician, one of her accompanying guards was always equipped with a medicine box.
Li Su heard this and quickly retrieved the medicine box from the guards outside the pleasure boat. He opened it expertly and handed Wen Rugo gauze, painkillers, and bandages. Lu Qingwan handled such minor wounds with practiced ease, but her expression was far from pleasant.
"The only result of self-harm is pain for those who care for you and joy for your enemies. It is the most foolish behavior." Her gaze was as cold as ice as she looked at Wen Rugo. "First, you were sent to a brothel, and then you became a courtesan. Was this also Wen Ruyu's idea?"
Wen Rugo answered evasively. "She and I arrived in the southern territory almost simultaneously. After our first public appearance, there were countless suitors seeking my hand, and the Governor's mansion was bustling with activity daily. The majority of those who proposed to me were the eldest sons of noble families, while those who sought her hand were mostly the sons of officials ranked below the fourth grade, and even if there were eldest sons of noble families, they were from those on the decline."
If anyone else had said this with a different tone, Lu Qingwan might have thought they were boasting. But the burning hatred in Wen Rugo's eyes told Lu Qingwan truthfully that she was merely stating a factual account.
"Everyone knows she was implicated by her mother, Madame Huang, but she has placed all the blame on you, the Prince, and my grandparents. She resents you and the Prince for exposing Madame Huang's crimes, blames Grandfather and Grandmother for not using their authority to protect Madame Huang, and is jealous that I, as another daughter of the Wen family, can easily obtain a marriage that she has toiled for and still cannot achieve. You and the Prince hold high positions, and Grandfather and Grandmother are far away in the capital. Naturally, I became her sole outlet for her rage. With Grandfather, Grandmother, and my parents present, as long as I didn't cause major problems, my marriage would have been secure. Therefore, what better way was there to completely ruin me?"
Lu Qingwan subtly lowered her gaze. While tending to the wounds on Wen Rugo's palm, she used her X-ray vision to examine Wen Rugo's arm and noticed that her chastity mark was gone. As she had said, Wen Ruyu had destroyed her in the most venomous way. However, she could not show it. If she displayed surprise or sympathy for Wen Rugo's loss of virginity, given Wen Rugo's temperament, their conversation would likely end there. Therefore, she adopted a business-like tone. "Prime Minister Wen and your father and brother already know about your impersonation. My and Prime Minister Wen's and your elder brother's discussion has yielded two strategies. Firstly, I will rescue you now. You will still be the legitimate eldest daughter of the Wen family, the glorious Princess Rugo. However, as we are unsure how many people know your true identity, there is a risk that this experience of yours might be exposed in the future, leading to gossip."
Lu Qingwan carefully observed Wen Rugo's expression, deeming her relatively calm, before continuing. "Secondly, Wen Rugo will be made to die a spectacular death somewhere. My and the Prince's role will be to provide you with a new identity, and you can live your life as you wish. Prime Minister Wen and your eldest brother are aware of both plans. Their sentiment is that it is up to your discretion. As long as you are happy, they will unconditionally support all your choices."
Although Lu Qingwan's words did not explicitly state everything, they were sufficient for Wen Rugo to realize that she knew something. The two of them tacitly avoided revealing their full understanding, waiting for Wen Rugo to make her choice.
Unexpectedly, Wen Rugo did not choose between these two options. Instead, she looked at Lu Qingwan and asked, "I've heard you intend to cultivate female officials in the court?"
Lu Qingwan raised an eyebrow. "An official is an official; there is no such distinction as male or female officials. What, do you intend to enter officialdom?"
Wen Rugo arched her eyebrow in imitation. "Will Your Highness the Consort grant me this opportunity?"
Lu Qingwan smiled. "The opportunity is something you seize yourself. Currently, there are two female officials in the court. The first is Chi Yaoyao, who escaped from the remnants of the Nan Zhao royal family. The second is Lu Qianhuang. You don't need me to tell you what she has been through, do you?"